


Wildest Dreams

by Jinkisducklings



Category: SHINee
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fantasy, Forbidden Love, Guard Jinki, Historical AU, M/M, Prince Kibum, Well Jonghyun and Minho are girls but ..., anyway, slight use of magic, slow burn?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2019-08-08 18:20:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 18,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16434446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jinkisducklings/pseuds/Jinkisducklings
Summary: Prince Kibum of the Kingdom of Joesan is saved by a mysterious, young swordsman who becomes a lot more than just his personal guard.





	1. Chapter 1

           Jinki maneuvered through the village hypervigilant. One of his hands were around the hilt of his sword, and the other on the bag of money in his pocket. His mother had given him everything she had and he wasn’t about to let some petty thief rob him of his mother’s sacrifice. His stomach grumbled with hunger. He had been given a small meal while traveling with the caravan from the faraway port. They had been nice enough to travel with him and protect him on the long journey for a small sum of money.  

           The vast number of round ears came across as odd and it left an uneasy feeling in his stomach. There was a thick scarf tied around his ears to hide their point. There was no guarantee this new land was elven friendly, so until he was sure he would hide that part of his heritage as best he could. There was a fruit stand a little ways ahead of him to the left. It took him a minute to figure out the man didn’t understand his native tongue at all and he switched to pointing at the stack of mangos and bringing out two gold pieces. He noticed the man’s eyes widened and the money was gladly taken. Jinki smiled and bowed his head as he looked for a way out of the mass of people.

           He walked through two buildings with a cobblestone path and a moment later the stone turned to soft grass. There was a river rounding the huge city and a number of giant trees along the banks. He sighed as he leaned against a thick trunk and used the edge of his dagger in his boot to cut open the mango. He cut a small piece and stabbed it with the tip to bring it up to his lips. He was just starting to enjoy his fruit when a loud commotion caught his attention. It didn’t take him long to find the source of it. Against one of the buildings was a group of men and in the middle was a boy not too much older than himself by the looks of it. There were three men on the ground and Jinki quickly assessed those were the boy’s guards. He looked at the mango in his hand and frowned. “I’ll miss you.” He mumbled in his native tongue before he laid it on his bag and grabbed his sword.

           He quietly chanted, “Ahwu A lo.” and his sword’s blade flashed for a moment. He met eyes with the boy as he ran towards him, but Jinki put his finger to his lips to tell him to be quiet. A moment later his sword was slicing through the man on the boy’s far right. The other two men acted quickly, tossing the boy to the ground to focus on their attacker. Jinki dodged the thrust of one of the men’s daggers and hit him hard on the back of the head with the hilt of his sword. The other man stumbled before trying to run away. Jinki grabbed the fallen man’s dagger and launched it until it was lodged in the man’s back and he fumbled forward before stilling.

           Jinki glanced at the boy, but his eyes were fluttering closed. He sighed, as he laid his sword against the building and hooked both arms under the boy’s to drag him over by the tree. Once his head was propped up on his bedroll Jinki returned for his sword and any loot he could get from the men who attacked the boy. The previously fallen men had a crest on their chest pieces, and by the craftsmanship of the armor, Jinki could tell they were from a well-paid blacksmith. Whoever the boy was, he was very important from the looks of things. A few pieces of gold were found on the attackers and a cool necklace was taken from another. He then returned back to his tree to finish his mango and run a cool cloth over the boy’s forehead.

           After a while, the boy began to shift. Jinki glanced over from cleaning his sword of the blood. The language the boy was mumbling was foreign to Jinki. It was then he heard the horses and men approaching. When he looked up there were a dozen or so guards all with the same crest as the fallen ones. Words in a language unknown were yelled and before Jinki knew it he was being pulled roughly from against the tree. He was turned around, face pressed against the trunk of the tree as his hands were tied. Panic gripped him as his things were taken and he was tugged toward a horse. “I didn’t harm him I saved him! You have to believe me.”

           The guards around him looked puzzled and he realized none of them knew what he was saying. He swallowed thickly and let them do what they wanted. He could make it out of this, but he didn’t want to make the situation worse than it was.

\-----

           When Kibum woke up he was in his bed back in the castle, his right arm was in a sling and his head hurt like something terrible. He squinted around the room and found his sister across the way. She turned with a big smile, rushing to his bedside. “Ah, there you are. We were beginning to worry it was worse than previously thought.”

           “What.. happened?”

           “You and your guards were attacked on your trip to the market.” She softly explained as she ran a soft cloth over the cut on his forehead. “The man who did this is in custody.”

           “That’s good you got them.”

           “Them?”

           “There were three of them.”

           She looked confused for a moment. “There’s only one down in the dungeons. A young man that was found near your unconscious body… He spoke some weird language when they dragged him in. I’ve never heard anything like it.”

           It dawned on Kibum quickly who the man in their dungeons was, and that he deserved a lot more than a spot in their dungeon for a crime he didn’t commit. He pushed up off the bed. “I have to see him.”

           “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She tried to push him back down, but Kibum pushed through her hands. “Kibum! You’re not well.”

           “The man you have in our dungeons wasn’t the one who attacked me...He saved me.” Kibum grabbed his robe from the hook and hissed as he slipped one arm through and managed to tie it around his body. “I have to thank him.”

           He rushed out of the room ignoring his sister’s calls. He waved off guards who hurried to follow him as he took the hallway over to the other wing of the castle, down the huge amount of stairs to the courtyard and down the giant, ancient stone steps to the dungeons. The two guards on duty stood at attention at the sight of their Prince. “Your Highness, shouldn’t you be in bed resting?”

           “Take me to the prisoner charged with attacking me.”

           “Your Highness?” The other asked unsurely.

           “I wish to be taken to the man you’ve charged with harming me.” Kibum glared at them both. Both caved at the 14-year-old’s orders. He was led into the torch lit dungeons and to the left, far away from the rest of the mostly empty cells to the lone one as far away from the door as possible. Once he was standing in front of him he turned to the two guards, “Leave me.”

           “We cannot do that, Your Highness.”

           “Either leave me or you’ll both be unemployed.” When both guards turned to return to their post, Kibum smirked, “That’s what I thought.”

           The man in the cell was looking at him with calculating eyes. His hair was hanging messily around his head, a scarf was around his ears and forehead, keeping some from his face. “Do you not understand my language? Is that why you haven’t told them you saved me?”

           The being didn’t react, or answer and Kibum took that as a yes. He was just sitting on the old cot thrown in the cell, back straight, and legs brought up crisscrossed before him. His hands were softly placed on his knees and there was a power around him that gave Kibum pause. For a moment Kibum thought of what to do until he remembered the other languages he had mastered in his language classes over the years. He ran through a few, looking for some type of reaction in the prisoner. It wasn’t until he used the language of the Ki’jash people far across the sea to the north, one of his Kingdom’s major trading partners, did the young man in the cell brighten. _“You know the language of the Ki’jash?”_

           The man’s voice was softer and deeper in tone than Kibum expected. _“I know many languages from across The Great Sea.”_ He cocked his head to the side a little as he asked. _“When are your people going to pass judgment for why I’m here?”_

           Kibum reached into the pocket of his robe to pull out the keys he swiped from the guard on the walk down here. He slid the key into the lock with a smile, “ _You saved me. I would be dead without you. I won’t let you rot in a cell for a crime you didn’t commit.”_

           As the door was opened the man’s facial expression stayed blank and he made no inclination of moving. _“Won’t your King be angry you let out a murderer?”_

            _“I am Prince Kibum Kim. The King of this land is my father, and I’ll not let him persecute my savior.”_ He studied the man closely as he processed the words. _“Any items you had on you when they took you into custody should be in the room just at the top of the stairs. I can take you there.”_

           He watched as the man hesitantly stepped from the cot, eyes shifting and following Kibum’s movements as he came closer, _“_ _Then..._ _I’m free to go?”_

            " _If you wish.”_ Kibum stepped away, good hand put into his pocket to keep warm in the chilly air of the dungeons. _“Let me offer you a hot meal and a soft bed for the night to start repaying you for what you’ve done for me. Clean clothes, a bath.”_

            _“A bath?”_ His tummy rumbled loudly. It was obvious he wanted to keep moving, but he really needed to clean up and eat. He never got to finish his mango. _“I would appreciate that.”_

           Kibum beamed, _“Follow me then.”_

           When they arrived at the entry point to the cells the guards rushed forward. “Your Highness, what is the meaning of this?”

           “You have kept my savior as a prisoner.” He explained in the authoritative voice his tutors had forced down his throat when he began to speak. “I am paying him for what he risked for me. You can ask my father if it really concerns you.” He turned towards his new guest with a soft smile, _“Follow me.”_

           As they walked up the thick stone steps he asked, _“What is your name?”_

           The man smiled, “ _You can call me Onyu.”_

\-----

           Various types of food were brought up to Kibum’s rooms. He wasn’t quite sure what Onyu liked to eat, so he had sent for as many options as he could. He watched Onyu eat across from him, noticing his obvious etiquette. _“What brings you to the Kingdom of Joesan?”_

           Onyu lifts his head from the piece of mango he just got onto his silver fork, “ _The caravan I paid to leave the last city, brought me here. I had no intention of staying longer than it took to eat my mango but-”_

            _“I complicated things, however.”_ Kibum had learned quickly the boy wasn’t much older than he was, almost two years.  He flashed a small smile at Onyu, _“I apologize for that again.”_

            _“Why did those men attack you?”_ He continued to eat after, moving onto the muffins that were on the circular tray just to his left.

            _“My father just enacted another tax. They were... Displeased, to say the least.”_

            _“Only cowards attack a child for the actions of their parents._ ” Something told Kibum those words held more depth than the present context to the boy.

           He did agree, however, and he hummed, biting into the apple he was holding with his good arm. “ _After you’re finished here at the castle.. Where do you plan to go?”_

           Onyu shrugged, laying his knife against his plate carefully. “ _I have no specific destination. I’m just trying to get as far away from my starting place as I can._ ”

           With a raised eyebrow Kibum ventured to ask, _“Are you running from the law?”_

            With a grimace, Jinki replied, “ _In a way, yes, but I promise you it wasn’t for anything of my own doing.”_

            _“The laws of other Kingdoms don’t pertain much, if at all, here. You’re_ _safe_ _if you decide to stay.”_

          _“Do I have a reason to stay?”_

        _“Well,”_ Kibum nervously picked at the tablecloth of the small table. _“You must have some skill with that sword of yours if you took down the attackers my specially trained group of guards could not. If you wish, you could take their place. As my guard that is.”_

          _“You just finished asking me if I was a fugitive, and now you’re offering me to be your personal guard?”_ Onyu was smiling softly, just a slight upturn of the corners of his lips. “ _Do you often offer employment to people you recently broke out of jail?”_

          _“No, I do not I admit.”_ Kibum laughed quietly. He sat forward in his chair as he explained himself more. “ _You’ll have accommodations here in the castle of course, and food a few times a day provided, including a reasonable_ _spendid_ _for your personal endeavors.”_

          _“I,”_ Jinki’s gaze fell to the centerpiece of the table, bottom lip pulled through his teeth as he grew silent. He breathed heavily through his nose a few times before he continued. “ _May I think over your offer during my bath?”_

           “ _Of course.”_ Kibum cleared his throat, pushing from the table to gesture to the connected room. _“It’s just through there. I’ve had clothes prepared for you to change into after. Just close the door to give yourself more privacy whenever you’re ready.”_

           As he pushed away from the table Onyu bowed his head, and mumbled his thanks, before disappearing through the door. His sword was still around his waist. What a curious being. Kibum wondered then what his father was going to say to all this. Then again, he couldn’t make himself care.

\----

           As the door closed behind him Jinki looked around the room. Back home they had a room meant to freshen up in, but for the most part, hygiene was taken care of in the nearby stream. The room was well lit by the tall windows along the far wall. In the middle of the room was a tiled indentation, which he presumed was the bath. He figured out to make the water fill and once the temperature was satisfactory, he worked on getting undressed. Out of habit he folded his dirty clothes and stacked them in a neat pile, laying his belt and sword on the top. The smooth floor was almost cold against his bare feet as he padded over to the edge of the bath. He was a few steps into the steaming water when he remembered the band around his ears. He stared at the closed door for a long while, debating if the Prince would really give him privacy. The illusion was a complicated spell to be done and held correctly and Jinki knew he couldn’t form one to mask his ears if he were to be caught without the cloth. He decided in the end that if he really needed to, he’d cover his ears with his hair, pulling the cloth off and sighing deeply being able to wiggle his ears a little. Free.

           He felt slightly guilty keeping his real name and heritage from the other boy, but his mother’s voice echoed in his head, ‘You must hide yourself, not because who you are is bad, but for your own safety.’. As he slipped further into the hot water his eyes fluttered closed and he could see her face. The softness of her gaze, the warmth of her hands as they gripped his own, the desperation of her voice. Slightly harder was picturing his father. The image was foggy almost from all of his travels trying so hard to block out the last way he saw his father. He swallowed thickly before taking a gasp of air and going completely under.

           It felt so nice to be clean, really clean. He found a basket near the edge and after smelling each bottle and container, touching the weird liquids that smell of flowers, he decided on one that seemed usable for hair. In his things was a small jar of the oil he usually used after and he wanted to keep that with him as long as possible. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to have access to more. While he wished he could stay in the warmth of the water for much longer he knew the longer he was in it the more restless the boy in the other room would grow and curiosity could lead to the boy finding out more than he bargained for.  As he finished cleaning himself he thought about the proposition.

           Sitting on the edge of the bath, twisting the given towel around his hair to dry it, positives of staying were running through his head. He’d have cheap living accommodations and food, and he was sure here was as good as any to hide from the people his mother sent him away to protect him from. The negatives were that he wasn’t as far as he could be, he wasn’t quite sure if he had the ability to protect the boy completely, and there’d be a lot of explaining to do eventually. He couldn’t be going by Onyu forever if he stayed and he’d rather like to not have to hide his elven heritage for very long either. Wearing the cover was practical, and he understood why his mother had tied it around his ears before he left, but it was stuffy and uncomfortable. He didn’t like hiding who he was and pretending to be something he was not. How could he agree to live here without really knowing how the round ears felt about Elves?

           He was fighting with the pants provided for him and was pleasantly surprised by how soft the fabric was. He pressed his lips together as he stared at his reflection. The scars along his right jaw and cheek, and slightly down his neck, reminded him of their origin. With a deep breath, they began to disappear, the illusion of clear, smooth skin coming to be once again. While his cloth for around his ears was dirty he used the bath water to clean it, twisting it to let the water out. It was still damp and a little stained, but it was cleaner than before. He braided his hair and tied it before focusing on getting the cloth around his ears just right to hide the tips. Once he deemed himself ready he scooped up his dirty clothes and headed out of the bathroom.

           Kibum was sitting in the alcove just past the table Jinki had left him in, holding a book in his lap with his palm. His gaze lifted when the door had opened and the smile upon his face seemed sincere. _“How was it?”_

           Out of instinct, he answered in his native tongue but quickly corrected himself. _“It was pleasant, thank you. I’ve never felt such soft fabric.”_

           _“Well, they’re yours to keep.”_ Kibum scrunched his nose as he stepped closer and focused on the old clothes in his arms. “ _I can have those cleaned for you._ ”     

           Jinki gazed at them for a long moment before nodding. _“Thank you.”_

            _“Set them there by the door and I’ll have a servant fetch them.”_ Hesitantly Jinki did as he was ordered before staring at Kibum as the boy spoke. “ _Have you got an answer to my offer, Onyu?”_

          _“I have.”_ He knew his parents would be yelling at him to keep moving, but something was telling him to stay here. He couldn’t quite explain it, but he could sense this place was important for some part of his destiny. “ _I’d like to take your offer of employment under one condition.”_

            “ _Oh_?” Kibum’s eyebrow lifted curiously.

          _“That you teach me your language.”_

           Kibum grinned. “ _I think I can do that. Welcome to your new home, Onyu.”_

           Jinki gritted his teeth before bowing his head, nervous. “ _It’s actually Jinki.”_

        _“What?”_

 _“My name.”_ He ran his tongue over his bottom lip before finding Kibum’s questioning gaze. _“It’s Jinki.”_

            _“Why did you lie?”_

 _“I am running from my past and I wasn’t sure if it was safe here to be myself.”_ He quietly explained. “ _But being that I am to stay and be around you more, I figured_ _.._ _You needed the truth.”_

            _“_ _Alright..._ _Jinki.”_ Kibum gave a small smile before growing serious. “ _I’m not sure how familiar you are with monarchs and the appropriate way to address them. While I am quite comfortable with you calling me Kibum when alone, I do require you to refer to me as Your Highness in the presence of others._ ”

           Jinki blinked, trying the words off his tongue through his thoughts before he scowled. _“_ _Your..._ _Highness?_ ”

            “ _Yes_ _, Jinki?”_

            “ _Can I add another condition to our agreement?”_

            _“Depends on what it is.”_

 _“Teach me your culture._ ” Jinki hopefully stated. _“Manners, etiquette. If I am to make here home I cannot live off the traditions of my people.”_

           The prince was soft in presence as he nodded, eyes slightly closed. _“I will try my best, Jinki.”_

_“Thank you, Your Highness.”_

           Kibum grinned. “ _You’re quick.”_

           Jinki sure hoped so.

\-----

           Telling his father of the recent developments went about as well as Kibum had expected. He waited patiently as his father berated him about how dangerous and stupid it was releasing Jinki without knowing the full story, how he couldn’t just bring anyone into his service, and that before Jinki could become his guard he had to be tested. He was translating the last part to Jinki when his father’s eyes narrowed. “Can he not speak our language Kibum?”

           “Not yet Father.”

           “How do you speak to him then?” Eyes flicking between the two of them.

           “He speaks the language of the Ki’jash people. It’s one we both can speak Father.” Kibum remained as stoic as he could. “We’ve already begun in teaching him ours.”

           “Well then.” The King scratched his beard, studying the boy standing near his son. He knew he should thank him for saving his son, but there was something about him that gave him pause. “I need you to explain to him that to be your guard he must demonstrate his skills to the Master of Arms.”

           “Yes, Father. Anything else?”

           “No. You’re dismissed.”

           When Kibum turned toward Jinki, the boy was looking at him expectantly. He flashed him a small reassuring smile before nodding with his head to represent it was time to leave. As they stepped through the office doors he quietly stated, _“I know you must be confused, but we had to leave the premises when he dismissed us.”_

_“Is that_ _..._ _Customary?”_

          _“Yes._ ” Kibum managed to quietly laugh, Jinki’s almost childlike innocence amusing. “ _He has ordered that you take a test of skills against the Master of Arms to be able to be my guard.”_

            _“Test of skills, Your Highness?”_

           “ _Oh please don’t fret too much Jinki._ ” They slipped through two columns into an empty hallway. Jinki recognized it briefly to the one leading to Kibum’s rooms. “ _You will have to spar with the man that is the Master of Arms of our castle. If you hold up well enough against him, you’ll pass easily. After which you’ll be able to discuss with the tailors and the blacksmiths about what you wish your uniform to be.”_

           “ _My uniform, Your Highness?”_

            _“We can’t have you wearing simple_ _clothes,_ _”_ Kibum stated as if a well-known fact. “ _The only requirement is that our family crest is somewhere visible on you. Otherwise, it’s up to you. I’m pursuing you wish to keep your sword?”_

            _“Very much so.”_ As if worried someone would rush by and take it from him Jinki’s hand had drifted to the hilt at his waist.

            _“Come. It’s almost tea time. I’m quite famished.”_

            " _Yes, Your Highness.”_ The words were foreign on his tongue still. He hadn’t ever needed to say them in his native tongue and he wasn’t sure if he’d learn to say them easily in any language.

\----

           The Master of Arms was a big burly man, easily six and a half feet tall, and enough hair on his arms to get mistaken for a bear. He had a scruffy beard and dark skin, but his eyes were almost piercing as his attention fell on Jinki standing before him. “You expect me to give the test to him, Your Majesty? He’s just a child.”

           “A child that seemingly fought off multiple attackers to save the Prince single-handedly.” The King rubbed his chin, studying Jinki intently before sighing as if bored. “My son seems to have some type of attachment to him. Please proceed with the test.”

           Jinki leaned his head closer to where Kibum was leaning against the smooth stone of the castle steps, the led back into the gardens, lands used for military training and for parties. _“What are they talking about?”_

            _“Sir Hyungi is concerned with administering the test to you because of your age.”_

            _“My age?”_

            _“He thinks he’ll be fighting a child and I’m certain he feels like he’s doing something wrong. Like you don’t stand a chance.”_ Kibum explained quietly. When Hyungi walked into the middle of the large landing between the two sets of stairs, he gestured with his hand, smiling. “ _He’s ready for you._ ”

           Jinki grinned as he stepped away, softly calling out, “ _Wish me luck, Your Highness._ ”

           “Good luck indeed, Jinki.” He mumbled in his native tongue, eyes focused as Hyunji pulled his sword out. Jinki followed suit, following the feel of the room. Kibum had learned even with the language barrier the boy was exceptionally good at feeling the room out. Jinki’s black blade glinted in the bright morning sun as he gripped it with both of his hands. Hyunji nodded his head signaling the start of the test just as he stepped forward. Jinki didn’t move, just waiting, but then Kibum noticed his grip was changing. He couldn’t quite place how the different placements of his fingers would change in his swordplay. It wasn’t until Hyunji pushed on the offense, swinging his sword swiftly, did Kibum realize what the different hold was for. Jinki sidestepped the advance, sword twirling to block the attack easily. He glanced at his father, and he smiled when he saw the slight shock on his features.

           The two continued their duel and as time crept by Kibum realized Jinki had yet to slide out of defense. Then Kibum’s eyebrows shot up as he muttered. “He’s making him tired.”

           And sure enough, Hyunji’s huge size was proving as a weakness the longer the test went. His movements were almost slurred as if he was stepping through molasses. It was then Jinki’s feet shifted and he pressed on. He moved his sword like an extension of his arm, moving the weapon with ease and skilled precision. It was obvious he was well acquainted with the dark blade.  Then as Hyunji stumbled, Jinki pressing far too quickly for him to keep up with, he was disarmed with a quick flick of Jinki’s wrist. His broadsword clanged as it skidded down the steps before coming to a halt on the lower landing. Jinki lowered his sword from where it was held an inch from Hyunji’s throat, sliding it into it’s scabbard and bowing his head. He looked toward Kibum, eyes wide and expectant.

           Kibum was beaming from ear to ear. He had never seen anyone disarm Hyunji in all his ears watching over him training others. From the stunned looks on Hyunji and his Father’s faces he knew they hadn’t either. He stepped forward before pausing when his Father stood. Jinki automatically lowered his gaze, as he was taught, and it made Kibum smile a little. He was a quick learner. “Son, Come here.”

           “Yes, Father?”

           “Translate for me.” Jinki’s eyes flicked from the King to Kibum quickly. As his Father spoke Kibum relayed easily. It wasn’t until his Father and Hyunji turned to leave that Jinki spoke.

            _“I did well, correct?”_

           He was so soft around the edges and looking up at him with a sort of innocence, and it felt completely at odds with the mastery and skill Kibum had just witnessed moments before. “ _You did so well. Not only have you passed, but my Father seems to believe you can handle being my only guard around the grounds.”_

            _“Only?”_

           Kibum grinned. _“I hope that’s quite alright with you.”_

           Jinki gave a small smile. “ _I never worked well with others anyway.”_

            _“Good.”_ He hummed quietly. “ _We have some time before lunch if you wish to go get fitted in your uniform.”_

           As they walked Jinki softly asked, “ _Can it be all black?_ ”

            _“That can be arranged, however,_ ” Kibum looked at him from the corner of his eye. “ _May I ask why you wish as such?”_

 _“Oh, ah,”_ Jinki cleared his throat, fingers almost nervously tapping the hilt of his sword on his hip. “ _It’d resemble my Father’s personal armor_.”

           Kibum understood completely. “ _The blacksmith is just this way.”_

\-----

           Jinki was shown his room by a nice servant girl. It wasn’t extravagant. There was a decent sized bed in the middle of the room, a set of dresser drawers, a water basin, and a mirror. There was a small window up near the ceiling above the bed and the cold wood of the floor was covered with a somewhat large rug that came out from under the bed. It was spacious enough, and though only having the bare necessities, Jinki didn’t have much to begin with. He looked at his dirty and almost tattered bags in his hands before laying them on the dresser. He pulled out the drawing of his parents that had been folded and pressed between two pieces of bark to protect it from ripping during his travels. Running his finger over it the paper felt worn. It was commissioned shortly after his birth, him as a babe held safely in his mother’s arms. He’d need to buy a frame when he got the leave day.

           Further down was the wooden pendant his father had pressed into his hands as he said the last few words he’d ever say. The engraving was ‘Protection’ in their language. He rolled it between his fingers, staring at the way the black paint glinted in the light and the bit of dried blood he hadn’t been able to get from the grooves, debating if he should wear it or keep it in his rooms. With a sigh he lifted it over his head, straightening it on his chest. His uniform wouldn’t be ready until at least tomorrow morning and his armor even longer. His uniform was largely up to him and he had never enjoyed bulky steel. Per Castle regulations, however, he had to have a set of battle armor for protection duty during parades, public outings and if the circumstances required, war.  

           He had chosen a simple thick, black fabric. The family crest would be sewn into the garment on his left breast. He had also chosen a leather and metal corset. It wouldn’t be as tight as he had seen women wear, but it would serve as added protection to his vital organs in his abdomen. He had almost wanted to keep his boots, but the sole was so worn down there was a hole beginning to form. The new ones being made for him were going to be up to his knee, absent of any excess of buckles or embellishments. He wanted simple. Simple allowed him to feel as if he was blending into the background.

           He grabbed an apple he had picked up from the table in Kibum’s rooms when he left that morning and foregone unpacking the rest of his things. Most of it was old clothes he no longer needed, but among the dirty cloth were family heirlooms his mother gave to him in hopes they wouldn’t be destroyed or lost. He sure hoped the tailor would be done with his clothes the following morning. When he did, that meant that he could begin his duties as Kibum’s guard. Having a purpose would help alleviate his wandering thoughts.

\----

 


	2. Chapter 2

              His fork made the ceramic dish wobble a little as he picked up the last bit of his breakfast from it. He was so pleased that today was Jinki’s first day, meaning that the basically squadron of guards were no longer coming in and out of his rooms. When the door opened he heard Jinki’s soft, yet deep, voice call out, _“Your Highness?"_

_“Come in, Jinki.”_

              The door was pushed the rest of the way open so Jinki could slip through. His footsteps were still silent, that if the door hinges didn’t slightly squeak and the boy hadn’t been speaking, Kibum wouldn’t have even known he had entered. “ _Good morning, Your Highness.”_

              _“Good morning Jin-”_ His voice stopped in his throat when he lifted his gaze to look at Jinki’s new uniform. He blinked rapidly, trying to process his appearance. He hadn’t been too sure in Jinki’s choice of coloring, but it seemed to suit him greatly. Even being as dark as it was, the crest was still visible on his breast. He hadn’t chosen to take shoulder pads, but his hands were covered with leather gloves, tight against his fingers and forearm. Kibum was caught watching the way Jinki carefully moved his braid back over his shoulder when he remembered he needed to finish his sentence. _“-Ki. Jinki.”_

              _“Are you quite alright, Your Highness?”_

              _“Yes. You look good.”_ His cheeks turned pink when he realized how bad that sounded. _“The uniform I mean. Looks good, not you. Not that you look bad I just-”_

              Jinki just smiled, saving him from digging his own hole. “ _Thank you. I’m glad you approve of it._ ”

              Kibum cleared his throat, fussing with the cloth napkin in his lap. “ _Are your quarters satisfactory?”_

              _“Very much so, thank you.”_

 _“That’s good._ ” He hummed as he pushed from the small table, moving toward his closet. _“How do you feel about beginning your language lessons today?”_

              _“Oh,”_ Jinki was looking out of the window, trying not to look at Kibum tossed his robe over the divider to get dressed. “ _Whenever you feel is appropriate. I don’t want you teaching me the language and culture to distract you from more pressing duties.”_

              Kibum’s head popped out from the divider, a goofy smile on his face as he tried to gesture to his boots by his bed. “ _Do you mind handing me those?”_ Jinki walked over and lifted the boots, and handed them over easily. “ _Thank you._ ” His head popped back behind it again until he was stepping out from behind it fully dressed. “ _I have history from 8 to 10 and politics from 11 until lunch time. We can use the time between the two study sections to work on your learning. Maybe you can even join me when I have my sword fighting lessons with Hyunji this afternoon.”_

              Jinki hummed thoughtfully. “I _’m not quite sure if Sir Hyunji thinks fondly of me since my test.”_

              _“Oh, posh. He’s just got his knickers in a twist because you disarmed him.”_ Kibum paused in the mirror to ruffle his hair about his head before it settled messily around his ears. _“Come, we must not be late for Ms. Sungkyu. She often gets quite grumpy when I’m late.”_

\-----

              The following morning when he arrived to begin his duty hours Kibum was already fully dressed and in front of him was a small, bowed box instead of his breakfast. _“What is that, Your Highness?”_

 _“This, Jinki, is a gift.”_ Kibum looked almost too excited. “ _I noticed you still have your old cloth around your head and I figured you deserved something a bit nicer.”_

              Carefully he wiggled the top of the box off and inside was a folded, black silk hairband. About the same thickness as his, but without the grime and ware of his own. He smiled warmly, “ _Thank you.”_

              _“Why don’t you put it on?”_

              Slight panic filled his chest. He couldn’t possibly say the illusion spell without Kibum hearing and wondering what he was doing, and he really didn’t want to explain the point to his ears, so instead, he hummed, trying to mask the fear of being found out. “ _This is pinned in. It’ll take some time, but thank you. I’ll wear it starting tomorrow.”_

              Kibum seemed convinced, but Jinki was still wary as he put the top back on the box. “ _We will see how well you fare on horseback today.”_

 _“Horseback, Your Highness?_ ” The subject change was welcomed, but as he took in Kibum’s appearance and noticed the higher, riding boots on his feet, he was curious.

              _“Many items on my itinerary have to do with traveling to various parts of town and places on horseback. You cannot very well protect me if you cannot ride, Jinki.”_ Kibum rose an eyebrow. “ _You have been on a horse before, right?”_

              If his lessons at the age of eleven before going to visit his maternal grandparents counted.

\----

              It turned out that Jinki remembered more than he had thought he would. Kibum led him to what would be his horse as long as he was apart of his guard. The horse was a two-year-old stallion, black as night. Kibum was rambling about how reports have stated he was a bit reckless and that maybe he wasn’t the best fit for him, but Jinki didn’t focus on much of it. He was smiling as his horse pushed his head against his hand, petting his mane with his other. On his harness was his name, Midnight, engraved in the silver metal. Greeting him in his native tongue he was acutely aware of Kibum watching him. _“Is something wrong, Your Highness?”_

 _“Your language sounds beautiful.”_ He quickly replied, ducking behind the horse whose reins he held in his grip. “ _You should speak more in it.”_

              _“But you cannot understand it.”_

              He could only see half of Kibum’s face from where he was petting his own horse with the name Duke on the harness.“ _But maybe one day you’ll trust me enough to teach me it.”_

 _“Yes. One day.”_ The conversation was dropped as a stable aid led Jinki toward Midnight’s saddle. It was there he remembered how to saddle a horse, images of his Father’s sturdy hands holding his moving through the steps. Soon he was swinging his leg over and getting a feel from on top of the already big horse. He grinned as Kibum mounted Duke. The Prince was wiggling his gloves onto his hands before taking the reins from the stable hand.

              _“You ready to show me what you got?”_

              _“If it’s a race you’re looking for, that’s quite unfair.”_ Jinki flexed his fingers around the leather of his reins, but there was a smile on his face as he quietly added. " _I don't know your lands as well as you."_

              Kibum grinned, and it gave Jinki an uneasy feeling in his stomach as if he was about to be put in guard hell. " _Then I guess it is about time you learned."_

              And then his boot was hitting the side of Duke and he was shooting out of the stable’s open doors. Jinki cursed lowly in his language before following after his charge.

\-----

              Jinki pulled the reins tight as Kibum came to a complete stop. It was only then he realized that there was maybe a foot from them and a hundred foot drop into the sea below. He huffed, slightly annoyed at his charge's antics, before softly chiding. “ _I must say,_ _Your_ _Highness, that was quite unbecoming.”_

              Kibum laughed, eyes crinkling in his amusement. _“You wished to see the Castle grounds, did you not Jinki?”_

 _“I suppose I had.”_ Jinki glanced at him for a moment before looking out at the Sea. It was then he noticed the dock along the shore. “ _What is this place?”_

              _“My great Grandfather had this built to prevent visiting dignitaries from having to go through the city with the common folk.  It is where members of the Royal Family also depart for overseas travel.”_ Kibum softly explained, hand waving with his words. “ _You need special permits with our seal to dock here. Without_ _the permits_ _, the guards will react and arrest you.”_

              Jinki gently cleared his throat. “ _That seems awfully reactive for what could be just a common mistake, Your Highness.”_

 _“It is_ _, but you can never take chances when it comes to pirates and other dangers._ ” Kibum flexed his fingers around his reins, “ _Come on, I want to make it to the forest to the west of here before we must return to the Castle.”_

              Their horses were moving slowly along the cliff edge when Jinki quietly asked, “ _How are these grounds protected? The area is so vast.”_

              Kibum grinned. “ _You’ll see the wall soon.”_

              And he sure did. It was at least twelve feet tall, expanding from where the cliff ended as far as he could see, curving in the distance around the looming trees. To their left, the Castle was blurry and small in the distance. A part of him wished to explore these entire grounds, feel the way the bark of the trees against his fingers, smell the flowers and hear the leaves rustle in the breeze. Until he had that opportunity, he’d focus on making sure Kibum didn’t get too far ahead of him.

\-----

              Days turned into weeks and then months, and they found a rhythm of the day to day for Jinki to learn the language. He was a quick learner, being almost fluent a little under five months of becoming Kibum’s personal guard. Between the language lessons, he held up the other condition in teaching Jinki the culture and traditions of his land. He still couldn’t seem to understand the way each section of the Monarchy should be referred to as other than the King and his heirs, but for the most part, he hadn’t needed to know yet. Here they were sneaking off to the old section of the library to hide from Kibum’s tutor. Jinki was relaxed, as much as the boy ever did, sitting on the couch across from him reading softly. It was an exercise to help his language retention, but also helping him learn about the Kingdom. “Have you ever been with a woman?”

              Jinki slowly lifts his head, blinking, before replying calmly, “No. I have no desire to.”

              “Oh.” Kibum’s face twists slightly in the realization that Jinki’s some type of mystic monk or something that’s sworn to some kind of celibacy. Like the Priests in the Temple.

              Jinki hasn’t looked away from him, gaze soft, yet guarded as he asks, “It’s illegal here to love a fellow man, is it not?”

              Kibum swallows thickly. Oh. “It is looked down upon. Highly by the Temple.”

              With a quiet hum, Jinki taps his fingertips on the page of his still open book. “I hope it doesn’t affect how you act around me, Your Highness.”

              “Of course not.” His voice softens when he repeats it, “Of course not.”

              “Thank you.” In the silence that follows both returns to their books. Jinki is turning a page as he asks without looking up, “What made you ask such a question, if I may ask?”

              “Oh, I heard some of the servants talking about sex and I had questions.” He lied.

              Jinki laughs quietly. “Well, it would seem I am not the source for your answers. I apologize Prince.”

              “Just fine, Jinki, no need to apologize,” He smiled, flicking his fringe from his face before quickly changing the subject. “How’s the reading going?”

              “Quite alright. There are a few words I am having trouble recollecting in this tongue, but,” He flashed a quick smile, “It’s quite interesting to know.”

              Jinki returned to the pages of the book and Kibum returned to his thoughts, or at least, trying to wade through them as they swirled around his mind.

\-----

              They were sure once they returned to the Castle, someone would voice their anger at Kibum skipping all of his lessons and meetings, disappearing out of the stables in a streak of white and black. Until then, however, the two of them were enjoying the lunch that Jinki had gotten from charming one of the girls down in the kitchens. It wasn’t much. A loaf of bread, some jerky, and a jar of fruit juice freshly squeezed that morning. Kibum was leaning against a thick tree trunk, making tiny sandwiches of jerky and bread, and taking turns with swigging juice from the bottle when Jinki passed it over from his spot against a huge rock just in front of him. “You like it here, don’t you?”

              Jinki chewed on his bite of jerky until his mouth was clear before asking, “In your Kingdom, or here, now specifically?”

              “Now, you seem more relaxed here.”

              “My home was in the middle of a forest much like this one.” Jinki hummed, swirling the juice in the bottle, “You have to understand that your stone walls of our Castle, while lovely, quite feel like a prison sometimes. There isn’t enough sunlight, enough nature within, to make it feel.. Like a home.”

              The conversation shifted to other topics, but Kibum’s mind was already planning on how he could get plants into Jinki’s quarters without the boy knowing.

\-----

              Jinki pressed his lips together, looking past Kibum’s shoulders down the servants' hallway. Everyone seemed to be looking at them, people filtering out from their rooms as the whispers of a Royal down in the servants quarters. “Your Highness.”

              “Yes, Jinki?”

              He whispered, “What are we doing down here?”

              Kibum only smiled over his shoulder as he turned down a hallway Jinki recognized as the one to his own room. “You will see.”

              He opened his mouth to speak again, but then they were stopping in front of his door. Wordlessly he slipped past Kibum to unlock his door. He failed to notice the way Kibum was smiling, the glint of mischief in his eyes as he walked into the room first. Following, his repeated question died on his lips as he saw the almost sea of green around his room and the new, bigger window above his bed. Kibum looked as pleased as a peach. “What is this?”

              “You said that this Castle didn’t have enough green or sunlight to make it feel like home, so I had them do this.” Kibum softly sat on the bed, crossing his legs, and smiling nervously, “You do like it, right?”

              Jinki was softly smiling, smelling a flower hanging from the basket to the left of the bed. His glove was held in his left hand, right hand touching the delicate petals. “It’s beautiful. You didn’t have to do this.”

              “I know.”

              “And yet, you have.”

              “Mhmm.”

              “And, may I ask how you managed this?”

              Kibum was fussing with a bit of lint on his pants as he answered, “The plants were easy enough to do, but the window... I had them to it when we were at my lessons.”

              Jinki hummed, turning his back to him to hide the pink of his cheeks he knew was there, playing with the potted plant on his dresser. “If you keep this up, my special treatment will be the talk of the servant’s wing.”

              “If I cannot give my personal guard gifts, what is the point?”

              “Mm, people will start thinking things, Your Highness.”

              “Oh? What type of things?”

              Jinki coughed, clearing his throat, “Romantic things.”

              “OH.”

              “Oh, indeed.” Jinki closed his eyes for a moment, breathing through his nose before turning with a smile, “Thank you for the plants. I feel more at home already.”

              Kibum looked relieved, perfect posture relaxed slightly as his shoulders slouched. “I am glad.”

\-----

              The birthday party for Kibum’s 15th year was extravagant, and nothing Jinki was told about prepared him for it. There were so many people in such fine clothes he wondered where someone could get so much fabric. The music swirled around the ballroom, drifting from all the open windows in the late summer air, and he was sure those in the huge city below the castle grounds could hear it from their homes.

              When Kibum retired to his rooms Jinki couldn’t voice how grateful he was. He had never been to such a vast gathering of people and it made him uneasy. Kibum had dropped his elaborate coat on the cleared breakfast table and promptly fallen into the softness of his chair at the head of it. He huffed loudly, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. Jinki cracked a slight smile as he turned from the then closed door. “Are you too exhausted to open one last gift, Your Highness?”

              Kibum’s gaze was soft and tired, but he lifted to a more proper position and smiled. “Did I miss one earlier?”

              Jinki shook his head before moving to the bookcase just to the right of the bathroom door, to grab the wrapped gift he had hid there that morning when Kibum was getting dressed. He carefully placed it on the table, pushing it over with two fingers. “It’s not much, but I have been working on it for some time. Happy Birthday, Kibum.”

              “You got me a gift?” Kibum gently asked, fingers brushing against the brown paper of the wrapping. Jinki was watching with soft, yet nervous, eyes, but he nodded. Curious, Kibum pulled the brown twine and carefully unwrapped it. A book soon came into view. An eyebrow raised as he ran his fingers over the blue of the cover before gently opening it. He recognized it as a dictionary of some sort, one of the languages being Ki’jash. The other was unknown. “What is this?”

              “You once mentioned your interest in learning my native language when I trusted you enough to share it with you.” Jinki softly explained, gaze falling from Kibum’s face. He looked sort of small then, and vulnerable and Kibum knew how much this meant for him just by that alone. “I figured that being as my language is widely unknown and that there wouldn’t be a text for you to study as you’ve given me to learn yours.. I’d make you one.”

              “Jinki…” He slowly breathed out, fingers running over the carefully written out words. “Thank you.”

              “I know it’s not anything like your other gifts but-”

              Before he could finish Kibum held up a hand to silence him. “Enough of that. You’re right it isn’t, but only because this one means something. Really. Thank you for sharing something so dear to you with me.”

              Jinki gave a sweet smile, “You’re my best friend Kibum, even if you like bossing me around.”

              “HEY!” Kibum pouted deeply, “I do not.”

              In response, Jinki chuckled behind his hand and Kibum’s pout disappeared, a smile replacing it.

\----

              One late afternoon as the leaves in the courtyard fell around them Jinki watched carefully as Kibum engaged Hyunji in their daily weapon lesson. Today was the long sword and Jinki was going to fall asleep if they didn’t move past basic forms soon. “You’re holding the hilt too tightly.” He quietly commented. Kibum quickly loosened his grip slightly and Jinki noticed how much that irked Hyunji.

              A few more rotations and he noticed Kibum’s feet weren’t balanced and if in a real fight he’d be easily overpowered. “Stop stepping on your heels, Your Highness. Balls of the feet. Balls.”

              It was then Hyunji lowered his sword and glared at Jinki. “Do you think you can teach him better than I?”

              “I beg your pardon, sir?” Jinki quietly responded. He noticed Kibum walking over to the table where there was an umbrella open and lemonade sitting on a tray.

              “Every time you give some type of feedback to him, you are stepping into my lesson. It’s rude. So,” The anger and frustration were rolling off the Master at Arms easily. “Do you think you can teach him better than I?”

              Jinki’s gaze flicked over to Kibum again, as if asking permission to speak freely. While he was casually sipping his glass, there was a smirk to his lips as he waved his hand in a gesture to go on. “Actually, Yes. I do. You’ve been going over basic forms for weeks now. He’s fifteen. I mastered the lessons taught to me at age twelve.” He took a breath before adding, “Sir.”

              Hyunji opened his mouth, jaw slack, before pressing his lips in a tight line and turning, storming off up the stairs toward the Castle. Jinki leaned his head a little when Kibum came close, asking quietly. “How much trouble do you think I just got in with the King?”

              “None. I’ll protect you. Don’t you worry.” Kibum grinned, nudging him with his elbow. “So, are you ready to show me something new, Teacher?”

              Jinki groaned.

\-----

              Sweat was dripping down their brows, even with the cool nip in the air as the temperature outside the large ballroom windows decreased with winter fast approaching. Jinki has his left hand behind his back, posture straight, yet relaxed as he moved his sword to block Kibum’s fury of attacks. He could see how hard Kibum was working to get through is defenses, but even in his frustration, his movements were controlled and thought out. He wasn’t fighting on just emotion. In the last few months since Jinki had taken over as his sword fighting instructor, Kibum had made an immense improvement. At least one of their three weekly sessions were full blown sparring matches. Sometimes it was annoying how Jinki would never push on offense, always defending himself with calm and precise movements, but Kibum also knew that when the young man did in fact attack, that it was much more difficult than catching his defenses by surprise.

              It was a slight shift in his form, his right foot twisting slightly, and Jinki was pushing against his blow. Kibum’s eyes widened as in quick movements Jinki had him backing up, losing his footing as he tried to counter his attacks. In short work, he was disarmed and Jinki had his sword a few inches from his neck, a huge smile on his face. Kibum frowned, whining. “Can’t you let me win, ONCE?”

              “Is it really a win if I give it to you?” Jinki cheekily asked, lowering his weapon and helping Kibum up from the ground. Whatever was grumbled Jinki couldn’t hear, but he watched amused as Kibum brushed off his clothes. “Care to repeat that, Your Highness?”

              “Oh, take the ‘Your Highness’ and shove it up your twisted knickers.” Instead of getting mad or upset, Jinki snorted, deep laughter flowing through the almost empty room. Kibum straightened, blinking rapidly, as he looked at the young man. Jinki’s eyes were almost completely closed, amusement dripping from his very being. He was beautiful. Even with the dripping sweat off his chin and his hair in disarray.

              As his laughter lessened Jinki ran his hand over his hair, pushing it back as best he could. His nose scrunched unpleasantly. “We probably smell.”

              Kibum scuffed as he picked his discarded sword, handing it to the servant by the door to be taken to the armory. “Speak for yourself.”

              “Okay.” Jinki made a point to breathe loudly behind him, and cough, “You smell Your Highness.”

              “Take my prior statement and add damn somewhere in it.” He snipped before grabbing his towel and shirt he had thrown on the ground before their lesson began. He then headed up the right set of steps, heading back to his rooms to clean up before dinner. He paused at the top, hand softly falling on the railing, “Are you coming?”

              “Yes, Your Highness.” Jinki sweetly answered, and Kibum wasn’t sure if the tone was sarcasm or not as the young man jogged to catch up with him.

\-----    

              Snow was falling steadily outside, wind softly howling, as Jinki closed the window yet again that had blown open. He was shivering slightly as he returned next to the fire where Kibum was wrapped up in his robe and a blanket, cocoa in the mug held in his palms. Jinki mumbled bitterly. “Love the snow, hate the cold.”

              “Ah, before you sit down, can you fetch something for me?”

              “Of course, what do you need?” Jinki easily asked, masking the way his teeth had just clinked a little.

              “In the chest at the bottom of my bed, there’s a box wrapped in a red velvet cloth. Bring it to me will you?” Jinki left with silent footsteps with a bow of his head, appearing a few moments later with the requested item held carefully in both palms. He went to place it in Kibum’s lap, only to have the young man hold his hand against it. “No need, it’s for you.”

              “For me?” Jinki blinked, frozen half bent still. He straightened, confused, box still held from his body. “Why would it be for me?”

              “Your birthday is the fourteenth of this month, is it not?”

              “Well, yes, but-”

              “Then sit your pretty ass down and open that.”

              Jinki ignored the fact Kibum had just called him pretty and sat like he was told instead, carefully unwrapping the cloth from the box. He gave Kibum an uneasy glance before returning to pull the brown paper wrapping from it. The box was made of polished dark wood with a golden clasp. He carefully opened it to reveal a dagger almost the length of the box. It was an expertly made ebony blade, the hilt trimmed with gold and on the bottom was a ruby. He lifted it from the box, gingerly, as if afraid he’d break it. “Is this real?”

              “The gem? Yes, or well I sure hope so.” Kibum teased, smiling. “Do you like it?”

              “It’s beautiful, Kibum, but I couldn’t possibly except it.”

              “Nonsense.” He sounded offended, which he probably was, as he laid his cup down on the table near him. “I figured that I’d match your sword as much as one can. You don’t have many nice things Jinki, and I wanted to give you something nice. It can fit in your boot along the side.”

              Jinki slid the dagger into the sheath carefully, wanting to take his gloves off to feel the smoothness of the craftsmanship, but not wanting to get his fingerprints over how pristine it was. “Thank you. It’s very beautiful.”     

              “You’ve said that already.”

              “To take a phrase from your book, stick it up your twisted knickers.”

              Kibum beamed. The saying quite fit Jinki’s slight accent. The dagger was returned to it’s box for the moment, but starting the next morning it’d always be stuck inside of his left boot.

\------

              In a statement of good faith, neither the King nor Kibum were in a carriage as they would be normally traveling in the open such as this. In the front were a few guards, followed by the King, Kibum with Jinki right beside him, and a fair number of guards behind them. It was early spring, a slight nip in the air as winter slowly faded away. Jinki kept Midnight almost completely parallel to Duke, just two steps behind to show that Kibum was the Prince. He was glad Kibum was wearing his heavy armor. It gave him more protection than those silly formal suits. He had a bad feeling about this in his stomach, the same bad feeling he had the morning he had first met Kibum.  

              The morning had gone by without much incident. The townspeople on the far edge of the Kingdom were hospitable and kind. Kibum handed out various supplies, walked through shops in the main section of the small town much to the dismay of his father and then after an early afternoon lunch given in their honor, they had saddled their horses and began the long ride back home. They’d stop in a town halfway for the night, of course, as they had on the way here. There was silence, a type of silence that put dread in Jinki’s bones and his hand closer to the hilt of his sword, bringing his horse closer to Kibum’s. The Prince rose his eyebrow in question but didn’t say anything.

              Jinki hissed under the sound of the two dozen horses hooves hitting the dirt of the road. “Be vigilant Your Highness.”

              “Do you know something I don’t, Jinki?” He quietly asked, ignoring the way his Father glanced over his shoulder.

              Before he could answer he heard the hiss of an arrow cutting through the air. He had just but a moment to get his feet from the stirrups, lifting until they were on the saddle and tackling Kibum from the horse, just as the arrow whizzed past them and thunked into the trunk of a tree behind them. Kibum couldn’t hear anything over the panic from around them and the rush of blood past his ears, as his body took the full impact of falling from the back of a horse. But through the dust created from all their horses, he saw the pain exploding through Jinki’s tightly held together facade. He looked over him, searching for the arrow, but stopped moving when Jinki painfully hissed. “Stay down, Kibum.”

              Jinki didn’t move from his place pressed over him, and it was then he realized Jinki was protecting him from possible arrows with his own body. “You’re hurt.”

              It felt like time slowed down when Jinki’s eyes lowered to meet his. The pain he was trying really hard to mask visible easily through the dark depths, but he still managed to smile to try and reassure him. “I’m quite alright.”

              “Bullshit.” Jinki looked at him apologetically, but before anything else could be said the call it was clear came. Jinki rolled off of him, grimacing as he hit the ground next to him. Kibum carefully stood up, glancing around to see the damage. A few guards were injured, but there were no casualties, including the shooter that had been apprehended from behind the treeline to the East. A guard by the name of Hongbin handed him Duke’s and Midnight’s reins, but when he turned to hand Jinki the reins, he wasn’t standing where he thought he’d be. Instead, he was still on the ground, hands pressing against his right knee. Concern washed over Kibum quickly as he stepped closer. “You ARE hurt.”

              Finally, Jinki relented, being honest. “I think I landed wrong on my knee when I took you down off Duke. Moving or putting weight on it hurts.”

              When Kibum walked behind him, arms moving under Jinki’s armpits to help him up, the young guard actively protested. Something about how improper it was for a Crown Prince to do such a thing, but it fell on deaf ears. Kibum wrapped his left arm around him, right hand on his tummy as he helped him stand on one leg. “Do you think you can ride?”

              Jinki nodded slightly. “I just need help on.”

              Doing so was easier said than done, and in the end, Jinki almost screamed in pain at the movement, barely able to grip onto the saddle to steady himself before he fell off. “You have to wait until we get to the next town. We’ll find you a doctor there, Jinki.”

              Even with the sweat on his brow from his obvious discomfort and pain, he smiled, whispering, so the guards around them didn’t hear him.“Thank you, Kibum.”

\-----

              They had managed to find a physician in the town they stopped in for the night. From what they understood there wasn’t much he could do but stabilized Jinki’s knee, order him to be off of it as much as he could, and offer crutches to help with until then. When Kibum entered the room after the physician had left, Jinki was prompt up against the headboard, knee lifted by a few pillows. He smiled easily when his gaze fell on his Prince, but Kibum could tell he was in a lot of pain and was exhausted. Still, he quietly asked as he carefully sat beside him. “How are you faring?”

              “I will be needing some time off, I think,” Jinki hummed, “I doubt I can protect you very well wobbling around on poorly made crutches.”

              “Well, I think you’ve earned more than a few days off, Jinki.” Kibum softly patted his hand resting on his stomach, careful not to jostle him too much. “You saved my life today. I’m not quite sure if that arrow was meant for myself or my Father, but it had hit me without you.”

              “It’s my duty to protect you.”

              “Still.” He slowly withdrew his hand, gazing at the pattern of the quilt under them as time passed around them slowly. “I guess I should let you rest. You must be in a reasonable amount of pain.”

              When he looked up, Jinki’s head was turned toward him, right cheek squished slightly against the pillow propped behind his head. “If you wish to retire I won’t stop you, but I would enjoy the company is you decide you wish to stay.”

              “I- alright.” He gave a shy smile, before pulling off his boots and rounding the bed to climb into space beside Jinki. He fluffed a pillow, wiggled just a little to get comfortable, before looking up at him, head held up by his palm. They talked for what seemed like hours. About nothing, and yet everything. Jinki talked about the way the stars looked in the night sky when he’d sneak out of his house when he was younger, lay in the field of tulips by his home, and the way fireflies blinked against the dark sky. Kibum talked about his mother, how beautiful he remembered her to be, and how much he missed her. At the sad turn to their conversation Jinki laid his hand over Kibum’s resting between them, and without a word, a bit of understanding traveled through them. Jinki knew very well what it was like to lose a parent, to miss them terribly and not be able to do anything to change the fact they were gone. Even after the conversation had shifted again to lighter topics like the sound of the town through the window and how the candle wick crackled a bit, Jinki didn’t move his hand and Kibum didn’t make him. It stayed there until Jinki asked Kibum to help him down to lay flat, to sleep, and even then Kibum curled up on the other side of the bed, talking until sleep pulled them both under.

\-----

              He wasn't sure when the small red vials were being placed in his room exactly, but he knew every morning that he awoke sitting on the table just inside the door next to the potted daisies it would be. He knew they were sent by Kibum. There was a little note the first morning, _To help with the pain. Take it easy ~ Kibum._ Whatever the vial was, it worked very well. The dull ache in his knee when it wasn't moving was gone, and the sharp pains when he moved or tried to walk was lessened significantly. He almost wanted to stay up, figure out if it was a servant, or Kibum himself, but each time he tried, sleep tugged at him before whoever dropped the medicine off appeared. He knew there were only two other people with a key to his room. Kibum and his Father, both because of security. 

              Instead, he left a note in his language, knowing that only Kibum would understand the words.  _You know, you could visit me to bring me the vial, Your Highness._

              In the morning, the note was gone and there wasn't a vial. Instead, when he was having his lunch there was a quiet knock at his door. Before he could stand up, a key was pushed into the lock, and he softly heard Kibum's voice. "Are you decent?" 

              "I sure hope so being mid-morning. Come in Your Highness."

              Kibum slowly slipped in, a nervous smile on his face, before quickly closing the door behind him. In his fist was the red vial, "I got your note." 

              "So you were the one sneaking into my room in the middle of the night." 

              "Don't sound so amused Jinki." Kibum scuffed. "I spent the last thirty minutes trying to shake my replacement guards to come here alone." 

              Jinki patted the bed next to him gently. "I apologize. Please join me." 

              And he did. Softly laying the vial into Jinki's outstretched palm. "How are you feeling?" 

              "A lot better, but even more as soon as I take this. Thank you for giving it to me." 

              "The court physician said that it would help with the inflammation, I think that's what he called it." Kibum chewed on his bottom lip before gazing over at him. "I miss you guarding me. I hope you come back soon." 

              "I will try my best." Jinki wiggled the cork from the vial, taking it back quickly. His face scrunched up as the bitter taste hit his tongue, but as quick as it was there it was gone, and he was placing it on his table next to the bed. "I'm quite sure your guards will go into a full wide panic if you stay any longer." 

              "Come, visit me then." Kibum huffed. "Hyunji has taken over my sword lessons and he won't spar with me." 

              Jinki squinted, "Do you just like me for my willingness to spar with you?" 

              "Completely." But he was smiling, and both knew he was joking. He touched Jinki's left knee ever so delicately as if it was the one that was injured. "Get well soon."

 -----

              It was a few weeks later when Jinki was on duty once again, held up by the cane that Kibum had made for him when he realized he was using a broken mop handle to aid him in walking after he no longer needed his crutches, that he voiced he wished to talk more about his parents.  It was late, a few hours before the moon would be at it’s highest point in the sky. Kibum had poured them both tea, sitting by the fireplace in one of his adjacent rooms. He knew how much of his past Jinki held close to his heart, but as well, from the little he had disclosed that he had no family waiting for him back home. Jinki sipped at his tea, holding it gently between both palms, finger through the little loop of the cup, knee propped up against the arm of the chair he was sitting in. “Of course, if you wish to not know, I’ll keep what I have to say to myself, Kibum.”

              “Nonsense.” He scrunched his nose as if disgusted by such a thought. “I’ll happily listen to anything you trust me enough to hear.”

              Jinki was gazing at the bit of tea still left in his cup held just above his lap, as he began. “My father was a farmer. He grew many things, but his favorite was his strawberries. He’d make jam that my mother adored from them. We didn’t have much, but we had many family heirlooms, things passed down from generation to generation. My sword is one of them, given to me when he believed I had mastered all he had to teach me at twelve, a book of recipes I’ve never attempted from my mother’s side. My Father died just after my fifteenth birthday. The reason I was running from my home was that my mother felt I wasn’t safe anymore where we lived... She gave me all the money she had, a kiss upon my head, and she sent me off. I don’t know what has become of her. I can only imagine nothing good.”

              “Jinki, I never knew, I’m sorry.”

              He flashed a little, sweet smile, thumb moving over the white porcelain of his cup. “It’s quite alright, Kibum. I’ve come to terms with why I needed to leave and that no matter what my mother sent me away out of love. I miss her, them, terribly, but my people believe the spirits of those you love to protect you even if you no longer feel them around you. They were there when I heard that arrow and they’ll be there the next time I have to save you from something out of either of our hands.”

              Kibum smiled, quietly teasing, “What makes you so sure I wouldn’t be saving you for once?”

              Jinki gave him a pointed look before sipping his tea, gaze flicking to the fire, but said nothing. Kibum snorted. After a moment, Jinki quietly stated, “Thank you for giving me a home. I know my quarters aren’t much, but I haven’t felt safe enough to stay somewhere as long as I have here, since before my father died.”

              He wasn’t sure what to say. Jinki was looking at him in a way he hadn’t seen before, warm and soft around the edges, trusting. It made a lump form in Kibum’s throat he had to swallow down, hiding his face by dipping down to quietly mumble, “No need to thank me for that.”

              “But still I do.” Jinki hummed as he finished his cup of tea, a glint in his eye over the rim when Kibum rose his gaze once again. Soon Kibum would retire to bed, Jinki residing outside of his door until his replacement came so he could get some rest. Until then, both would enjoy the warmth of the room and the sweetness of conversation with a dear friend.

\------

              Kibum’s sister, Princess Sonkyu, was turning 18, and Jinki was sure every single available bachelor in all the nearby Kingdoms were descending upon the castle in droves. He almost wanted to ask Kibum if he could be exempt from going, but he couldn’t trust anyone else protecting him during such a hell fest as a ball was for a guard. At the moment, Kibum was sitting in his smaller throne to the left of his Father’s, watching his Sister be twirled around the room by different young men as the dance progressed. His annoyance should be obvious to anyone, but to Jinki it was especially so. Forgetting the sense of duty and what was expected of them, he stepped forward and gently laid his hand on Kibum’s shoulder. When Kibum looked over at him, slightly alarmed, the Prince softened. “Is something wrong, Jinki?”

              “No, but,” Jinki gave the King a quick glance before whispering with a little smile, “Do you want to get out of here, Your Highness?”

              “More than anything.”

              “Than follow me. We can slip out onto the back balcony.”

              Kibum squinted, voice hush still. “Are you trying to kidnap me, Jinki Lee?”

              “Quite so.” Jinki gave a cheeky grin. “Are you coming or not, Your Highness?”

              In reply, he cast his Father once more glance, making sure he wasn’t looking, before he quietly slipped from his seat, taking Jinki’s hand and following him through the thick curtains behind them. The glass door of the private balcony was closed and it wasn’t until they reached the railing that their hands fell to their sides once again. The summer sky was beautiful, the sun setting in the distance casting the entire Kingdom it seemed in it’s warm, pink and orange light.  It was there that Kibum noticed Jinki softened around the edges, leaning against the stone of the railing, eyes falling close to enjoy the breeze. He had to quickly look away from his daze when Jinki’s head began to turn toward him. He tapped his fingers against the balcony, nervous for some unknown reason, before asking, “Was my boredom so loud that you could notice it without even seeing my face?”

              “I could have been on the other side of the castle and I’d have known.” Jinki laughed quietly. “You hate parties like this, after a while. Your enjoyment ran out right around the time the cake was cut.”

              Kibum shook his head, almost fond, not wanting to know how Jinki knew him oh so well. “Well, thank you for getting me out of there.”

              “Is it not my duty to protect you, even if it’s from frilly dresses and that violinist who can’t seem to play his piece without being shrill?” Jinki hummed, content as he gazed out at the horizon. “You know, I can almost smell the sea. I spent so much time on it before finding that caravan that brought me here. I sort of miss it.”

              “We’ll have to go sometime.”

              “You make it sound like we can just go saddle the horses and ride out of here.”

              Kibum shrugged, leaning against the railing, so close if he leaned just a bit their shoulders would be touching completely. His voice sounded almost sad when he spoke, longing. “Sometimes I wish I could.”

              “Do you not enjoy being a Prince, Kibum?” Jinki softly asked head turned just enough to look at him.

              “Most of the time. I know I have so much more than I could ask for. It’s the treatment, the fake smiles out of respect, not knowing if someone is my friend because they like me for me or because they’re worried I’ll order their head to be taken from their shoulders. It’s not being able to go into town without an entire squadron of guards and only have the worry of a normal citizen of being robbed. Normal stuff, ya’ know?” Kibum sighed. He lifted a hand to pull his crown from his head, laying it on a bench beside them, before returning. His head lowered until his chin was basically against his chest, and he was watching as his fingers fidgeted with the chip in the stone of the railing. “It’s why having only you as my guard means so much to me. I don’t feel any less safe, most of the time more so, but I feel more like a normal being. Like I have more freedom than if I didn’t have you.”

              Silence falls between them, but it’s not awkward or tense, just warm. Jinki is the one to break it when he leans just enough until his shoulder brushes Kibum’s, causing the young man to look at him. The image awaiting him is Jinki smiling, cast in such a golden glow from the setting sun. “If it’s any constellation, Kibum, I do care for you because I want to, not because I fear you’ll take my head. You’re my friend because of what makes you Kibum, not because of that Crown.”

              “Being with you is the one place I feel free, Jinki.” He warmly confessed, voice falling to an almost whisper as he lost his courage toward the end. To taken the seriousness out of the atmosphere, he cracked a joke. “I don’t think you’d let me take your head, even if I wanted.”

              “Oh, definitely not.” Jinki grinned. His smile softened then, a light chuckle to his voice. “You don’t have to joke to hide behind your feelings Kibum. Did you know that the rumor around the servant quarters is that I used to be an elite assassin?”

              Kibum snorted, that not being anywhere near where he thought the conversation was going. “You can’t be serious.”

              “Completely. They heard me curse in my native tongue and they all scattered.” His expression fell then and Kibum felt his sadness so prominent he was sure he could reach out and touch it with his hand. “It’s not the same as the way you feel being a Prince, but I do understand what it’s like to be feared for who, or what, people think you are.”

              “I hadn’t known about it.” Kibum pressed his lips in a thin line. “I can say something if you’d like.”

              Jinki shook his head, a soft smile on his face as he gazed out on the horizon. “I don’t quite think that would help either of our causes, Kibum, but thank you. You always seem to be protecting me without realizing.”

              “I doubt it.” He scoffed, turning away.

              “But you do.” Jinki reached over to squeeze his hand, but only for a moment before pulling away and returning to his place beside him. “You protected me when you came to get me from my cell and offered me this job. You could have very well have just left me to rot for murdering your attackers, but you didn’t. You protected me from your Father’s judgemental gaze and even when I told off Hyunji. Both of which I could have been dismissed from your service for. While it’s different than my physical protection of you, you still protect me all the time. You shouldn’t mind you, but I have a feeling I couldn’t convince you not to even if I tried.”

              Kibum opened his mouth to speak but shut it quickly when he realized he had no idea what to say to that. Instead, he hummed and replied. “You’re right. You couldn’t.”

              There was another brush of their shoulders and when he looked over Jinki was softly smiling, just a slight curve to his lips. Maybe parties weren’t so bad after all.

\------

              There was still a month to his own birthday, and yet presents had been arriving for weeks now from Kingdom’s near and far. Kibum hadn’t opened any of them yet, instead, having servants place them in one of his empty rooms to be looked through at another time. He usually gave most away to charity, keeping a few that interested him, or ones that he’d have to have if the gifter ever came to visit. There was one, however, that he did open as soon as he received it.

              It was in a small, white velvet pull tie bag, on his nightstand. Near it was a note with his name on it in Jinki’s language. He realized quickly he had somehow woken up a few hours before sunrise, and he wondered when Jinki had placed the gift. Propped up on his elbow, he opened the note carefully. _I know it’s not much, but it means a lot to me to give something such as this to you ~ Jinki_

              His curiosity was growing so big it was threatening to overflow as he laid the note on the table and pulled open the bag. Reaching in he felt soft to the touch string and then a wooden pendant. Flipping it over he squinted to get a good look at it from the dim light given off from the moon through his window. The dark wood of the pendant had a character engraved on the front. In Jinki’s language, it represented _C’ovous_. Safety. A smile grew across his features as he ran a thumb over the small, but meaningful, present. He placed the bag on the table by the note before pulling the necklace over his head.

              As he fell asleep again it rested against his chest.

\-----

              He didn’t fail to notice the big smile on Jinki’s face when he saw the pendant around his neck the night of his birthday party. He had reacted similarly a couple hours the morning Kibum received it, when he came in to start his shift. Still, Jinki forced himself to have a blank face, looking through a book far too quickly to really be getting anything from it’s pages, asking, “Shouldn’t you be wearing something more formal?”

              “If I have to wear that God Forsaken Crown that’s been two sizes too small, I can wear the one gift I’ve received this year that means something.” Kibum’s attention then fell on his reflection in the mirror before he sighed, satisfied. “Come. Festivities await and I’ve passed the point of being reasonably late to my own party.”

              Which they didn’t stay very long at. It was an innocent glance behind him as he sipped his little bit of wine he was allowed. Anyone else would have thought Kibum was just taking a look around the room, but Jinki knew it meant he wanted to leave as soon as possible. For the next few songs, he looked for a way out, to leave without being considered rude. It happened when Kibum fell into step with him, whispering about how he had to use the restroom. Jinki hid his smile easily, nodding curtly and saying, loud enough for people near them to hear, but quiet enough he wasn’t broadcasting it. “This way Your Highness.”

              It was some time before they reached a part of the castle that was barely lit, and off limits from the party goers. Immediately Kibum lost the high chin confidence he had be expertly exuding. “I can’t wait to get out of this cage of a costume.”

              “Just a little bit longer, Kibum.”

              He flashed a small, kind smile. “Thanks for getting me out of there. Again.”

              In silent response, Jinki squeezed his hand, and he could feel the warmth of his grip even as the young man had long ago let go.

\----

 


	3. Chapter 3

           It took weeks for everyone that was visiting for the party to leave and return to their own homes. It was only then that Kibum gave into his incapability to sleep and roamed the Castle in the stillness of the night. His attempt to get out of bed without Jinki noticing failed. The moment his legs moved against the silk of his sheets, Jinki’s attention was moved from the balcony doors he was looking through. Noticing he was awake and sitting up on the edge of his bed, Jinki quietly asked as he stepped closer. “Are you alright, Kibum?” 

           “I am having trouble sleeping.” 

           “Oh,” Jinki pursed his lips for a moment, “Do you want me to send for something from the kitchens?” 

           Slipping on his boots he shook his head, before turning enough to look at Jinki. “If I say I wish to go for a walk are you going to stop me?” 

           “Depends on if you try to lose me in the process.” 

           “Oh, never. I like your company.” 

           “That’s very good to hear.” Jinki held up a thick robe for Kibum to wiggle his arms into before it was laid against his shoulders. “Lead the way.”

           The halls almost echoed as he moved through them. He knew Jinki was just a few steps behind him even with the silence of his footsteps. Soon the looming archway that led into the main courtyard came into view and they no longer needed the light from the candle in their lanterns.

           “It’s so beautiful out,” Kibum softly exclaimed, head moving quickly as he took in how the moonlight fell on the rich gardens of the main courtyard. “So quiet as well. I’ve never experienced the castle so still before.” 

           Jinki had stopped walking a few paces behind him. His eyes were closed as he took the light of the moon across his skin. He didn’t notice the Prince gazing at him until he opened his eyes again. His head was gently cocked to the side, curious. “Is something wrong, My Prince?”

           “I haven’t seen you so relaxed.” He replied quietly, giving a small smile. “You’re softer here in the gardens.” 

           “It’s the stillness. My senses can take a rest from all the constant stimulants.” He folded his hands in front of his belt with a kind smile. “My mind is quiet, so I am relaxed.” 

           “It fits you.” Kibum panicked a little when Jinki’s eyebrow raised, flustered slightly. “I mean, you’re always so focused and vigilant. It’s a nice look on you, for you I mean, to be relaxed like this.” 

           “Uh huh.” The corner of Jinki’s lips quirked up. His fingers flexed a little at his belt. “Are you alright, Kibum? You look flushed.” 

           “Oh, just fine.” He turned away from him, swallowing thickly as over and over in his thoughts he mumbled ‘stupid just stupid’. The fountain’s edge was cool against his palms as he carefully sat upon it. He was running his fingers through the almost cold water when he glanced back at Jinki. “Thank you for following me down here.” 

           The laughter flowing from Jinki’s lips was soft and warm, causing Kibum to freeze his hand movement in the pool of water. Jinki was smiling fondly at him, his amusement dripping off of him in waves, but his eyes showed how tired he really was. “I go wherever you go Kibum.” 

           Seeing Jinki move about the gardens, pulling his glove from his right hand to be able to touch the softness of the flower petals and the cool dew on the leaves, Kibum felt his immoral feelings toward the man bubble into his chest. It was getting harder to ignore them with how frequently they slipped through his defenses. Thinking about the way Jinki’s hand felt clasped on his shoulder, the carefree smile he had when he laughed, the way he calmed down over a cup of tea, and the look in his eyes when they sparred. A few strands of hair falling on his forehead, blowing in the soft breeze, made Kibum remember the way he gathered the dark hair from his neck so carefully to put it back up one late night. Remembering the way Jinki’s fingers moved across his neck to catch escaping strands. He forced himself to look away from Jinki, swallowing thickly as he tried to push the feelings away. If he came clean, he knew he could very well ruin the state of their relationship, this friendship, completely. The daydreams of all the positive possibilities confessing his secret love for his friend stopped him from ignoring that option entirely. He knew Jinki favored men, knew he had felt attraction toward his fellow men, but even knowing Jinki wouldn’t react as if disgusted made the next words out of Kibum’s mouth difficult. “Will you come to sit with me?” 

           Concern flashed over Jinki’s features, his hand slowly falling from the flower he was reaching up to bring closer to smell. He made his way over gracefully, each footstep silent as he did so, before sitting almost delicately on the fountain’s edge next to him. Their hands would touch if both of them were laid against the stone between them. “You seem bothered by something. Do you wish to return to your rooms?”

           “No, no, I’m fine here.” He waved his hand softly before it fell into his lap. He twisted his fingers nervously. “Something is clouding my thoughts, however.” 

           “Anything I can help with?” 

           “Actually,” Kibum laughed a little, “All of it really.” 

           “Oh?” Jinki breathed out softly, voice quiet with how close they were. 

           “In the last two years, we’ve learned a lot about each other, haven’t we?” When Jinki slowly nodded, Kibum continued. “I have been thinking things, immoral things, about you for some time. I’ve tried to block them out, convince myself that they were just passing thoughts, like a feather on the breeze, but they kept coming back even stronger.” 

           “I’m not quite sure I understand, Kibum.” 

           “Do you remember our conversation on whether you’ve bed a woman?” 

           “Quite.” Jinki was staring intently at him, probably trying to figure out what foolishness was actually coming from his mouth. 

           “Well, I lied when I told you I didn’t understand what you meant by having an eye for your fellow man.” Kibum bit his bottom lip, eyes falling from Jinki’s face before fluttering close. “I lied because I keep looking at you the way someone such as I should look at a woman.” 

           “Kibum…” 

           With a shuddering breath, Kibum’s eyes opened, but he stared out at the trees before him, too scared to see the way his friend was looking at him then. Just the soft gasp of his voice was enough to break his heart a little. “And it’s quite more than that I’ve recently realized. I want to hold your hand just, or even more than I wish to kiss your fingers, to feel the roughness of them from all your sword work. I find myself wondering what it’d be like to kiss you, to hold you close, to court you as one would someone they’re involved with. To hear you say you love me as I do you. Because I do Jinki, love you that is.” Kibum licked his lips, nerves shot by that point. Silence fell then, just the rustling of the plant life around them and the trickle of the fountain behind them. Against his better judgement, he turned to look at him as he pleaded. “Please say something Jinki.” 

           “I-” He huffed, licking his lips nervously. “I am not worth your love Kibum.”

           “What?” He had expected a kind, yet sweet, dismissal. Maybe even a mumbled, but we can’t.

           “I am not someone you should love.” 

           “If you do not feel the same as me, or find me offensive, say so instead of these foolish excuses.” Except, all anger melted from his voice when Jinki lowered, hunched over his lap. Jinki was always tall in structure, never slouching at all, and seeing him bent so heavily on his knees concerned Kibum greatly. “Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean..”

           When Jinki spoke his voice was so soft, each word sounding strained and almost forced. “I told you about my father and my mother. People who love me end up hurt. They die.” He glanced over then, through his falling strands of hair, and Kibum’s heart ached seeing how pink and glossy his eyes were. “I will not allow you to be hurt because of me.” 

           “Loving you is not what caused their deaths.” He reached over to grip his arm softly, “People are disgusting creatures. They killed your parents. Not you.” 

           As Jinki straightened again there was a sad, almost mocking, smile upon his lips. “I never told you they were killed because of me, who I am. I’m a mutt.” He rose his hands slowly. As his fingers rested against the black cloth he wore around his ears he paused for a moment, as if contemplating if he really wanted to go through with it, but then he was untying it under his braid and the cloth was laid across his palms as he rested his hands in his lap. A shimmer moved across his face as he turned completely toward him. “I lied to you about who I was. I did it to protect myself as my mother requested of me, but I must confess. My mother was a human. The daughter of the baker in the human town close to my father’s farm in the Elven lands. My Father was a dark elf.  Having me, keeping me, was proof of their immoral relationship. I got these scars when I was eleven from the man who was supposed to be my maternal grandfather. My parents were killed protecting me.” 

           “Oh, Jinki.” Kibum breathed out, a hand lifting to cover his lips briefly.

           Jinki shook his head, laughing at himself pitifully. “Don’t look at me like that. I look at myself that way more than enough.” 

           “You are beautiful Jinki.” When the man tried to move away, Kibum gripped his arm, moving to kneel before him. His hands rested softly on Jinki’s thighs, a gentle smile on his face as he gazed up at him. “I’ve always believed you to be gorgeous. The way you move, how you form your words when you speak, and even how your hair always falls into our eyes. I think the most beautiful I’ve ever seen you is here before me now.” 

           “Kibum, please, don’t pity me.” 

           “I love you.” He found his hand curling around Jinki’s, feeling the warmth of them as he tried with all his might to make the man believe those three words. Jinki’s walls were crumbling, his resistance scattering. Kibum’s gaze flicked over to the soft, pink, ragged scars. Four lines curving from his right cheekbone down his jaw and his neck slightly. “May I touch them?” 

           Jinki’s eyes widened for a moment before he softened, “Yes.” 

           When Kibum’s fingers brushed against the scars, they were warm and soft, almost as much as his gaze was. There was no malice in his expression, no disgust. It reminded Jinki of the way Kibum looked at the stars at the night, fond and almost amazed. “My feelings for you, whether or not you return them to me Jinki, haven’t suddenly gone away because of this. You opened up expecting me to be repulsed, but I am not. I want you to feel safe here. No one will harm you because of who you are. If they try, it’s because they want to harm me.” 

           “I did expect you to be repulsed.” Jinki quietly confessed as he laid his hand over Kibum’s still touching his cheek. He shifted a little to press a kiss to his palm as he returned the words. “I love you too, Kibum.”

           His breathing hiccuped then, as he cupped Jinki’s other cheek, pushing up to kiss him on the lips. It was sweet, and chaste, if only for a moment. They parted slowly, searching each other’s gaze for some sign of doubt. When finding none, it was Jinki who pressed deeper, opening the kiss to more warmth and feeling. Their kiss was interrupted by the changing of the guard then, Jinki grabbing his wrist and tugging him from the open view of the fountain. His right arm was tight around him, pulling him so their bodies were aligned as they hid behind the line of oak trees. His other hand was lifted, a single finger against his lips, as his eyes seemingly said, be quiet. 

           It was when the courtyard was once again clear did it feel as if they could breathe, both beginning to laugh at the circumstance. The laughter was cut off by a simple glance. They were still pressed together, Jinki’s arm wrapped around his waist, and neither had any self-preservation to prevent them from kissing again. Kibum’s fingers curled around the back of Jinki’s neck, feeling how the young man’s grip tightened on his back. Soon though, they parted, with an unspoken promise for more as they walked back to Kibum’s rooms. Before Jinki left he pressed a sweet kiss to Kibum’s lips, smiling with a soft, “Good night, My Prince.” Before slipping through the door. Leaving Kibum with his heart beating fast and his mind floating above the clouds. 

\----

           Jinki tapped his foot impatiently, arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the closed door he was ordered to not enter yet. He wasn’t sure what Kibum was doing inside of his rooms, but whatever it was didn’t negate Jinki’s duty to be there to protect him through it. He had a feeling Kibum had been keeping him away all day. Ever since their sword lesson, Kibum had made it very clear he had no intention of returning to his chambers yet, which was extremely odd. Then, finally, when they did Kibum had ordered Jinki to wait out here. Not taking any complaints or opinions before shutting the door in his face. That was really not the way you treated someone you supposedly loved and kissed a few nights prior, or anyone really. 

           “What do you think he’s doing in there?” Jinki slowly turned toward the voice to find one of the patrol guards. 

           “No clue.” 

           “Maybe he’s entertaining a girl.” 

           Jinki hummed quietly, tapping his fingers on his arms as he kept them still crossed across his chest. “I doubt that greatly. I’d know if there was anyone in there with him.” 

           “Maybe.” 

           He returned to gaze at the closed door across the hallway from him as he quietly quipped. “Don’t you have a patrol route to finish?” 

           “Of course, Sir.” 

           Just as the man had turned the far left corner the door opened. Kibum was standing in the opening with the biggest smile on his face. Jinki rose his eyebrow, slowly pushing from the wall to take careful steps toward him. “And what have you been doing, Your Highness?” 

           “Oh, this and that.” He stepped aside with a wave of his arm. “Come in and see.” 

           Jinki’s eyes were closed as he walked into the room, “This is highly unorthodox and against protocol. What really-” His voice stopped completely as soon as he opened his eyes and saw the spread on the main table straight up the middle of the room. He whipped around to find Kibum, the question on his lips as he moved. “What is this?” 

           There were candles lit down the length of the table. There were various plates of food on either side of the candles, but only two place sets laid out. “I don’t know what your people do for people they are with but I recall reading somewhere this is the type of thing you do when you’re courting someone and um I did this for you.” 

           Kibum was rocking back and forth on his feet, wringing his fingers in front of him and his bottom lip was pulled through his teeth as he softly chewed on it. Jinki took the few steps and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. “It’s very sweet. Thank you.” 

           “I was worried you would be angry with me for making you wait out there.” Kibum quietly said as he pulled Jinki’s chair out for him.

           “I was concerned, but far more curious.” Jinki sweetly smiled as he took a closer look at the food on the table. “What did you tell the kitchens to get all this up here?” 

           “Oh, that I was practicing for entertaining visiting diplomats.”

           “And they accepted that?” 

           Kibum shrugged, but there was a slightly goofy smile on his face. “It worked didn’t it?” 

           “That it did.” The juice was poured into his glass carefully as he wiggled a little to get his chair where he wanted it to be. Once happy with the placement, he took the filled glass until it was almost to his lips, looking at Kibum drinking his own over the rim. “And my people give wooden pendants they’ve carved to the people they’re courting.” 

           Jinki laughed quietly when Kibum choked a little on his juice. “But you - the pendant wasn’t... We didn’t yet.” 

           “No, but it meant something to me and I wanted you to have it.” 

           “Does it…did you mean it to mean that?” 

           “I did. Does.” 

           “And if I hadn’t said anything, you would have just let me wear it all the time without knowing the meaning of it?”

           “I suppose I would have told you what it meant eventually.” There was just a slight curve at the corners of his lips as he cut the meat from the roasted chicken before them. He glanced over quickly to scope out Kibum’s features before returning to cutting. “You seem bewildered.” 

           “I was thinking about what would have been if I never said anything.” Kibum ran his tongue over his bottom lip quickly, “You’d have spent the rest of your time guarding me looking at the pendant knowing what you meant by it. Whoa, okay that’s sad. Let’s forget that.” 

           “Alright.” Jinki chuckled before reaching to grab Kibum’s hand, giving it a soft squeeze. “Things are just beginning and nothing is set in stone. I just want to enjoy the time I have with you like this.” 

           “We don’t want this food to get cold, either.” Jinki pressed a warm kiss to his knuckles before letting the hand go. 

\-----

           They made a point to sit on Kibum’s balcony after retiring to his rooms from dinner, usually Jinki leaning back between his legs, staring out as the sun fully set over the sea in the distant horizon. However, today was one of Jinki’s off days where he could do whatever he pleased. Kibum was very surprised to see him standing outside the door when he opened it late that morning. He blinked for a moment before stepping aside to let him in, closing the door and locking it numbly. He shook his head as he worked through it all. “What are you doing here?” 

           “I was wondering if you’d be up for a little mm rebellious act.”

           “Are you asking me to break the law, Jinki?” Kibum rose his brows as he stepped behind the chair across from Jinki, fingers curling around the back of it.

           “Vaguely.” The grin on his face was so pretty Kibum couldn’t find himself able to hold up the rouse of saying no. “Just… put these on and trust me.” 

           Kibum caught the clothes tossed at him, looking through them quickly before turning toward his bedroom to change, the question on his tongue but remaining unasked. Once changed, he glanced into the mirror along the far wall. The clothes were nicely made, but simple. A light tan pant and a white shirt, tight around his forearms, but loose over his upper arms and shoulders. He vaguely looked like a pirate and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. When he stepped from his room Jinki dropped his riding boots on floor in front of him. “These too?”

           “Trust me.” And he did, so he left it alone as he pulled on his boots. He was given a simple sword to put on his belt before Jinki grabbed his wrist with a bright smile. He pulled Kibum over to the large painting on the wall, pushing the corner to make it slide open revealing a dark passageway. Jinki looked back at him, smile still bright on his face as he asked, “What didn’t know you had secret passageways?”

           “No.” Kibum huffed. “I didn’t. How did you know?” 

           It was then he realized Jinki had taken off the wrap he usually had on his head, his ears clearly visible as they wiggled. “Better spatial ability. Let’s go.” 

           Jinki had his hand out, palm up as it glowed softly. Could he always do that? “Could you always do that?” 

           “Watch your step here.” Jinki quietly warned before answering. “And yeah.” 

           “Do you have other mystic powers?” 

           “A few yes.” Jinki stopped then, letting go of his hand for a moment to slide the barrier before them slightly. He put a finger to his lips as he kneeled to peer through the small crack. Then he was quickly taking his hand, their fingers intertwining as he tugged him through the opening. Kibum looked back for a moment to see a large tapestry in the south hallway leading from the grand dining room. Then he was tugged around a corner and out into the back lawn toward the stables before he could look more.

           Noticing that the stables were empty, but their horses were saddled, Kibum ventured to ask, “Did you plan this?” 

Jinki slipped around the other side of his horse as he leads them out of their stall, smiling over the saddle. “Don’t you usually have to plan to kidnap the crowned prince?” 

           “I suppose.”

           “Let’s go.” Jinki quickly swung his leg over the saddle and moved over to the back stable door, which Kibum could have sworn was just closed. 

           As he rode alongside him, Kibum asked, “Where are you taking me?” 

           “You’ll find out.” 

           Kibum needed to talk to him about these vague cryptic answers. 

\-----

           They managed to ride through town without much trouble, past the far docks and into the thick woods that lead away from the Capital City. They stayed off the main road, cutting through the woods with a familiarity Kibum wondered how Jinki acquired. When they exited the line of trees, Kibum was presented with a stunning view of the bright blue sea. “The horses must remain here.” 

           He slowly looked over to find Jinki dismounting and leading his horse toward on of the trees with a low branch to tie the reins. When his horse was also tied up, Kibum noticed the few apples Jinki had rolled onto the ground before each horse. He had a large pack on his back as he straightened, bright smile on his face as he offered his hand. “You aren’t worried about thieves?” 

           “The rock formation there hides them from plain view even if someone happened to be this deep in the woods from the road.” Jinki gestured down the rocky path leading to the beach below. “The only way to get to where we’re going is from the sea, or the way we came. If anyone came we’ll know. Come on and watch your step.”

           Jinki’s hand was sure and warm holding his as they made their way down the narrow path.  There was a soft breeze blowing from the ocean, the waves crashing against the shore in slow intervals, but as they stepped onto the sand Jinki led him away from the water behind a large rock formation just ahead. The light shifted then, from bright to muted and Kibum stood frozen as he gazed around the foliage he now could see. 

           It looked very much like a cave except the top was open, allowing the blue sky to be seen through the treetops. There were so many different types of plants in the circular space. Trees almost as tall as the cave itself, flowers he had never seen before in bright flowing colors, and in the distance there was the soft sound of a waterfall. Jinki led him through the thick broad leaves until they were in the middle of the cavern. Kibum looked around dazed, mouth open slightly and eyes wide, as he softly breathed out, “What is this place?”

           “The unique shape of the cave allows the air to be moister than other places which allow more diverse plant life that washes in from the sea. I hid here after ditching the caravan for a few days before heading into town.”

           “It’s very pretty.” Kibum playfully glared. “You still could have told me where you were taking me.” 

           “I wanted to surprise you.” Jinki stared off in the distance, chewing on his bottom lip for a minute, before smiling, “Romantic. I was being romantic.” 

           Warmth bloomed from his chest seeing Jinki so proud of himself. He kissed his cheek. “You were.” 

           That only proved to make his smile grow somehow, “Come sit, I have more romance planned.” 

\------

           Jinki swam to the edge of the pool slowly, putting his arms onto the warm sand and smiling up at Kibum sitting beside him. “You should come in and swim with me. It’s not that deep.” 

           “I’d rather just watch.”

           “But Kibum,” Jinki grinned, his hair fanning around him once it hit the water. “I really want you to come to swim with me.” 

           “And if I refuse?”

           “Why don’t you try and find out?” Kibum really didn’t like the way Jinki was looking at him, so with a sigh, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it behind him toward the rest of their things. Jinki was grinning from ear to ear as he slipped into the water slowly. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” 

           Kibum curled his fingers around Jinki’s wrist in the water, softly tugging him closer as his other hand cupped his cheek. “C’mere.”

           Jinki returned the kisses slowly, letting Kibum lead. The water was shallow enough they both could stand flat-footed and still have their shoulders out of the water. Jinki pulled his hand from Kibum’s to hold his hips, laughing a little against the kiss when he was twisted and his back was pressed into the bank of the pool. “Eager?” 

           Kibum chuckled, pressing his forehead into Jinki’s damp shoulder. When he lifted his head his skin was flushed pink. “Thank you for today. I felt.. Normal.” 

           “Thank you for letting me kidnap you.” 

           “Any day.” Kibum lifted his hands slowly, water dripping from them before he pushed them through Jinki’s hair. “Your ears are out.”

           Jinki had his hands covering them quickly, eyes widen as he rushed out, “I can hide them if it-” 

           He pecked his lips quickly, shaking his head as he pulled away. “You’re so pretty, My little Elfling.” When he realized what words came out of his mouth his eyes widened, “I apologize if that offends you.” 

           But Jinki was giving that shy smile of his, a slight curve of his lips and pink on his cheeks, but his eyes were narrow slits to the point of them being all the way closed. “I like it.” He leans forward just enough to press a kiss to Kibum’s jaw. “Princeling.” 

           Soon they’d have to pack up and head back to the castle before it got too late the Castle Guard was put on high alert, but until then Kibum was content on enjoying the quiet there with Jinki. And the warmth in his chest knowing Jinki felt safe with him to drop his mask. 

\-----


End file.
